These recordings were
made at the Dizzy Gillespie Diamond
Jubilee at the Blue Note Club in NYC.
For a whole month, comprising forty-seven
shows, Dizzy shared the stage with over
forty of his musical offspring’s and
the event began a yearlong celebration
of the great man’s 75th birthday.

This selection of the
music that was played was shared with
those who have inherited the Gillespie
legacy and now that Diz is no longer
with us, his music lives on through
them. I was particularly pleased to
have this release, Dizzy is my all time
favourite trumpet player and a man who
has influenced the course of jazz as
much as anyone. Not only was he a partner
in the bebop revolution with Charlie
Parker, but Diz was the one who spread
the word and taught so many others how
to play the new music.

I also noticed that
leading the trio was Junior Mance who
is so skilled in that roll that he is
frequently the No1 choice to back visitors
to the city. He is a genuine ‘any tune
in any key’ man, who comps superbly
and also provides sympathetic unobtrusive
backings of the highest quality.

Bass player Peter Washington
and drummer Kenny Washington, they are
not related, are stalwarts of the New
York Jazz Scene. They understand in
keeping with Junior Mance that their
main role is to support the soloists,
which of course means that they listen
intently to what the soloists are playing
and don’t get in the way.

The trumpet playing
from all concerned is pure magic, as
you would expect. It is interesting
that you can her something of the Dizzy
Gillespie influence in all of them and
the great man himself is still blowing
some great stuff.

Comparison of the various
players is irrelevant; this is world
class jazz all the way.